First Visits

A child’s first visit to the dentist should be enjoyable. Children are not born with a natural fear of the dentist, but they can fear the unknown. Our office makes a special effort to use pleasant, non-frightening, simple words to describe each treatment. We want you and your child to feel at ease from the moment your family arrives at our office. The more you and your child know about the first visit, the better you will feel.

The first visit is all about your child – their comfort, their happiness, and their health.

We recommend that your child be seen at least twice per year for dental exams and cleanings to maintain a healthy mouth and dentition. The first visit is an introduction of your child to us and our office in a friendly atmosphere. Our goal is to have your child feel comfortable being here and have all future dental visits be positive experiences. Consider making a morning appointment when children tend to be rested and cooperative.

Dr. Miller will want to review the medical and dental forms and any findings with you. She will also discuss diet, nutrition, habits and appropriate oral hygiene techniques for your child. The primary concern in very young children is “Early Childhood Caries” also known as “baby bottle tooth decay”. This can be avoided with early prevention and supervised home care. Dr. Miller will discuss your child’s risk of dental decay at this first visit.

Dr. Miller will explain what she will be doing and use words that are kid-friendly, non-frightening and age-appropriate. Our offices uses the Tell-Show-Do technique to help decrease dental anxiety. Other helpful suggestions include:

arriving a few minutes early to allow your child to play and become familiar with our office

talk about their visits in a positive light

share your excitement and stories of going to the dentist yourself

try not to threaten poor hygiene habits with getting a filling or visit to the dentist

avoid words that can cause anxiety like “hurt”, shot”, or “needle”.

Children are not born with a natural fear of the dentist, but they can fear the unknown. Our office makes a special effort to use non-frightening, pleasant words to describe our procedures. We want you and your family to feel at ease the moment you arrive at our office. A positive first visit builds trust and sets the foundation for future appointments. We encourage you and your child to ask any questions that you have or discuss any anxiety they feel.

Bring your smile, but also remember to bring these completed forms with you to your first appointment:

Patient information form

Medical history form

Insurance information form

Insurance card

Regular checkups are an important part of maintaining a healthy smile!

The American Dental Association recommends visiting your dentist every six months for regular checkups and routine teeth cleanings to keep your teeth and gums healthy.